Robinson Cano and Curtis Granderson homered, New York scored two key runs when Peter Bourjos dropped a fly ball in the seventh inning, and the Yankees beat the Los Angeles Angels 6-5 Sunday to snap a four-game skid.
Derek Jeter had two hits and scored the go-ahead run for the Yankees, who moved 3½ games ahead of slumping Boston in the AL East.
New York had two runners on in the seventh when Bourjos — normally an outstanding fielder — allowed Mark Teixeira’s fly to deep center to simply pop out of his glove. Bourjos then missed the cutoff man with his throw, allowing Jeter to score easily from first base on the error.
Howie Kendrick and Bourjos hit two-run homers for the Angels, who dropped 2½ games behind AL West-leading Texas.
Both teams participated in a pregame ceremony marking the 10th anniversary of the Sept. 11 terror attacks. Former Yankees manager Joe Torre was on the field while Jeter, Jorge Posada and Mariano Rivera caught ceremonial first pitches from two first responders and a survivor in the attacks on New York and Washington.
“I wish we were at home with the people of New York,” Posada said.
The Yankees’ four-game skid was their second-longest of the season, but they still haven’t lost four straight road games all year. New York also avoided getting swept by the Angels for the first time since July 2009.
Cory Wade (5-0) pitched the sixth inning for New York after Freddy Garcia scuffled through the first five.
Rivera earned his 40th save of the season and 599th of his career, two behind record-holder Trevor Hoffman. Rivera’s catcher was prospect Austin Romine, making his major league debut.
Ervin Santana (11-11) couldn’t match the shutdown efforts of Jered Weaver and Dan Haren earlier in the series despite eight strikeouts for the Angels, yielding eight hits and four walks before leaving with two runners on in the sixth. Scott Downs gave up Teixeira’s fly to center.
Erick Aybar had four hits for the Angels, who completed a 6-3 homestand. Los Angeles had pulled within 1½ games of Texas on Saturday, but the Rangers routed Oakland 8-1 earlier Sunday.
Garcia allowed five runs and seven hits in five unimpressive innings for the Yankees but escaped without a loss after retiring Mark Trumbo and Alberto Callaspo with the bases loaded in the fifth.
Injuries are piling up during a 10-game trip for the Yankees, who played their second straight game without Alex Rodriguez and their third in a row without right fielder Nick Swisher. Rodriguez won’t return until at least Tuesday while resting a sore left thumb, while Swisher has tendinitis in his left elbow.
New York also used its fifth catcher in four days when Romine came on in the seventh. Francisco Cervelli and Russell Martin both sat out to rest injuries incurred earlier this week, and Posada said he was a bit sore after catching Saturday for the first time all season.
After prized rookie Jesus Montero struck out three times Sunday during his first career appearance behind the plate, manager Joe Girardi pulled him for Romine, the younger brother of Angels infielder Andrew Romine.
Kendrick’s homer put the Angels up 2-0 after their first two batters. Los Angeles took a 3-1 lead in the third inning when slow-footed catcher Bobby Wilson motored around the bases on a swinging bunt, Aybar’s bunt single, Kendrick’s sacrifice bunt and a wild pitch by Garcia.
Cano hit his 25th homer in the fourth, but Bourjos put Los Angeles up 5-2 with his 11th homer into the short porch in left field later in the inning.
Granderson answered with a two-run shot in the fifth, the 39th homer of his remarkable season.